Bean-assorting machine.



A. A. MARIUS'.

BEAN ASSORTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILEDIIUNE 12. 1918.

Patented Apr. 1,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1- ms cums PEYERS cm. PNuYo-Llrnm, vmwmamn. n. c.

A. A. MARTUS.

-BEAN ASSORTING MACHINE.

- APPLICATXON FILED JUNE 12. 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.v

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

accompanying AUGUSTUS .A. MARTUS, 0F BROWN CITY, MICHIGAN.

BEAN -ASSORTING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsTUs A. MARTUS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brown City, in the county of Sanilac and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Assorting Machines,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to thedrawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in bean assortingmachines and it is an object of the invention to provide a device ofthis general character having novel and improved means whereby the bador cull beans may be readily separated.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of thisgeneral character including a hopper discharging .upon an endlesscarrier and wherein said carrier comprises a plurality of flexiblestrands through which the bad or cull beans may be readily forcedtherebetween by a slight pressure thereon.

The invention also has for an object to provide a novel and improveddevice of this general character including a hopper discharging upon anendless separating member together with means for controlling thedischarge of the beans upon the member.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrengement of the several parts of my improved beanassor-ting machine whereby certain important advantages are attained andthe device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise moreconvenient and advantageous for use as will be hereinafter more fullyset forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a bean assorting machineconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the device as herein disclosed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device as hereinembodied;

Fig. 4; is a sectional view taken substan- 'tially on the line 4-4: ofFig. 3;

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Bean-- Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application filed June 12, 1918. Serial No. 239,628.

the assorting member as herein employed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the assorting member asdisclosed in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail illustrating the mounting ofthe valve coacting with the hopper.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings H denotes a hopper supportedby two sills 2 arranged substantially in horizontal alinement'and inpredetegpined spaced] relation. The sills 2 are supported at the desiredelevation through the medium of the side frames 3. Coacting with theside frames 3 are the horizontally disposed brace members 4. The hopperH comprises the end members 5, the side members 6 and the downwardly andinwardly inclined bottom member 7 which terminates inwardly of the sidemember 6. The lower portion of the side member 6 is provided with theopening 8 through which the beans to be assorted are discharged. The endmembers 5 adjacent the side member 6 are provided in their opposed faceswith the inwardly and downwardly inclined grooves 9 in which tions ofthe valve 10 which is preferably maintained in various elevations byfriction.

Supported by the end members 5 of the hopper H below the lower orforward marginal portion of the inclined bottom 7 is the rod 11 andpivotally, engaged with the rod 11 is a chute 12 of a width to eX- tendthrough the opening 8 in the side member 6 and the forward marginalportion of the chute 12 contacts by gravity with the periphery of theratchet member 14: fixed to the shaft 15. The shaft 15 is rotatablysupported by the forwardly directed exten sion 16 carried by the hopperH. As the shaft 15 is rotated the ratchet member 14: carried therebywill vibrate the chute 12 whereby the discharge of the beans from saidchute is effected and which also results in an effective distribution ofthe beans so that the same will be received to best advantage by theseparating member M to'be' hereinafter more particularly referred to.

The chute 12 is of a length substantially equal to the space between theend walls 5 of the hopper H and the end marginal portions of said chuteare provided with the upstanding flanges 17 whereby the beans deliveredto the chute from the hopper H are prevented from obstructing orinterfering with the required vibration of the chute.

As herein disclosed an end portion of the shaft 15 is provided with apulley 18 around which is directed a belt 19 and the belt 19 isalsodirected around a pulley 20 fixed to the shaft 21 disposed transverselyof and rotatably supported by a rear portion of the frame F. The frame Fhas the hopper H resting directly upon the rear portion thereof and saidframe F is secured to the sills 2 hereinbefore referred to.- The shaft21 adjacent the pulley 20- is provided with a balance wheel 22 andoperatively connected sprocket wheels 25 and disposed over saidsprockets are the endless chains 26. The chains. 26'also pass over thepulleys 27 carried by the shaft 28 disposed transversely of andsupported by the forward end portion of the frame F. The chains thenextend downwardly and over the pulleys 29 carried by the shaft 28rotatably supported by the side frames 3. By this arrangement, the upperstretches of the chain travel-in substantially a horizontal path and ina direction away from the hopper H.

Transversely alined links of chains 26 are connected by the rods 30 andencircling each of said rods is a coil spring 31 of an expansible' type.

'Overlying the rods 30 is a plurality of flexible strands 32 preferablycord and which are arranged in substantial parallelism. These strands 32are threaded through the convolutions of the springs 31 and overlie therods 30. The strands between adjacent rods may be readily forced apartby im- 'posing slight pressure upon the beans supported between adjacentstrands.

In practice the beans are discharged over 7 the chute 12 and as the sameare carried forwardly it is only necessary for the operator to-impose aslight pressure by a finger upon a bad "or cull bean and the same willbe forced between adjacent strands 32 and thereby separated from theprime or good beans. Positioned between the stretches of v the chains26is the collecting chamber C provided with the laterally directeddischarge spout 33 through which the separated culls or beans aredelivered.

34: denotes the downwardly and rear- Wardly inclined chute disposed in adirection longitudinally of the frame F and the prime or good beans are,delivered into the upper end thereof from the upper stretch of theassortingmember as afforded by the chains 26 and the elements carriedthereby.

Also positioned between the stretches of the chains 26 is a hopper 35.This hopper 35 is also positioned directly below the discharge end ofthe chute 12 so that as the beans are delivered upon the strands 32,

sand and other small matter will pass between the strands 32 and' becollected within the hopper 35. The hopper 35 is provided with thedischarge chute 36 which extends downwardly on a predetermined inclineand preferably in a direction away from the spout 33 hereinbeforereferred to.

I also find it of advantage to arrange within the hopper H above thevalve 10 a stationary guide plate 37 delivering upon the inclined bottom7. The guide plate 37 serves to relieve the valve 10 of the weight ofthe beans within the hopper H so that the valve 10 may be manipulatedwith facility.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a beanassorting machine constructed in accordance with my invention isparticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated and it will also beobvious that my in vention is susceptible of some change andmodification without departing from the principles and spirit thereofand for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shownin carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A device of the characterdescribed comprising an assorting memberconsisting ofa pair of endless members, rods connecting said members,coil springs encircling the rods and interposed between the members,

and flexible strands extending in the same.

general direction as the endless members and threaded through theconvolutions of the springs.

2. A device of the character described comprising an assorting memberconsisting of a pair of endless members, rods connecting said members,coil springs encircling the rods and interposed between the members, andflexible strands extendingv in the same general direction as the endlessmembers and threaded through the convolutions of the springs, saidstrands overlying the rods. 3. A device of the character describedcomprising an endless assorting member, a hopper discharging thereon, achute into which the assorting member discharges, a collecting chamberpositioned between the stretches of the assorting member, and a sec- Intestimony whereof I hereunto afiix my 0nd chute positioned between thestretches signature in the presence of two witnesses. of the assortingmember below the point AUGUSTUS A. MARTUS. upon which the first namedhopper dis- Witnesses:

charges upon the upper stretch on the assort- J. F. WALTZ,

ing member. D. A. MGKEITH.

Copies oi! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the "Commissioner 01 Iatents, Washington, I). 0.

